Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) leader Paul Siwela was on Thursday freed by the Supreme Court 86 days after being arrested and charged with treason. Despite being granted bail by the High Court, the Mugabe regime invoked notorious legislation to suspend the bail.
But on Thursday the Supreme Court dismissed the State application to further detain Paul Siwela. The Abammeli Human Rights Lawyers who represented Siwela and his colleagues Charles Thomas and John Gazi were set to hold a press conference at the Quill Club in Harare around 17:30.
On Tuesday the ailing Siwela failed to attend court for his routine remand hearing at the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court because his medical condition was said to be still critical. Siwela was supposed to appear together with his co- accused before Bulawayo magistrate Ndumo Masuku for routine remand on a treason charge.
Officials from the Zimbabwe Prison Services told the court Siwela was still admitted at Khami Prison Complex Hospital where he was taken ill two weeks ago, after his blood pressure shot up uncontrollably. His condition is reportedly still critical.
Siwela, Gazi and Thomas were accused of printing and distributing flyers agitating for North African-style uprisings against President Robert Mugabe’s government. All three men deny treason charges and face the death penalty if convicted. Gazi and Charles were already out on US$2 000 bail each and remanded to June 15, with Siwela also being remanded in absentia to the same date.